Intertwined
by Wandering Letters
Summary: Dreams in two different universes dictate a fated meeting. Rated M for possible lemons in the future. CloudxLightning. Some Cloti at the beginning. HopexVanille, SnowxSerah. Read and Review Guys! This is gonna be my longest one and you decide the length!
1. The Storm Brews

Intertwined- The Storm Brews

_**Synopsis**_: This story begins with a short backstory for both characters, so if you haven't played Final Fantasy VII or XIII or both, you can understand the characters. If you want more information on them both and also why I used them together, hit up Final Fantasy wiki to read more on em. I also made Cloud a little more happy than usual here.

_**Song Used**_: New Divide by Linkin Park.

"_Cloud…Cloud, it's time you took a trip,"_

He tossed and turned in his sleep, trying to stay calm but it was unlike anything he ever imagined.

"_Cloud…you're going to meet someone new, in a place you've never seen before, it will be a place in a completely different universe as the one you've known all your life,"_

He continued to toss and turn, this time more frantically.

"_You'll meet a girl…a girl similar, yet different to you, you will control what happens then,"_

He jolted awake, sweat falling from his face. His mako eyes looking down at the sheets covering his legs, he wiped his forehead clean of sweat and calmed his breathing down.

"What does this mean…" he muttered to himself.  
"Cloud?" said a voice.

His eyes shot up to the door to see Tifa, dressed in her nightgown. She walked to his bed and sat down in front of him.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" she asked as she lay a hand on his.

He looked at her and his eyes narrowed. He held her hand, causing her to return the grip.

"Tifa…I've been having this dream for the past week and I think it's time I answered to it…but I don't want to leave because I don't know if I'll come back," he said.

She gasped softly.

"Why would you leave?! I thought you said you would stay with me and the kids?" she disputed.  
"Tifa…this dream obviously means something important, I keep seeing people from the Lifestream, I have to do this," he said.

She began to sob softly.

"I'm sorry Tifa…you know that I want to keep my promise, but these dreams have not only been terrifying for me, they've been painful, almost as if not doing what it says is slowly hurting me from the inside out," he explained.  
"I understand Cloud…I don't want you to be in pain, know that you're always welcome here and that we'll always love you," she whispered.

His eyes narrowed even more and tears came to his eyes. He pulled Tifa into a strong embrace and kissed her forehead. Ever since the episode with Geostigma and the return of Sephiroth, Cloud began to finally be at peace with his "family". He came to accept Tifa as a lifelong friend but he never desired anything further than that with her. His instincts told him to make sure that he releases everything he holds onto that night because then, he really did think he wouldn't be seeing them again. He was well aware of the fact that Tifa was in love with him and his desire to make her happy began to take over when he moved his mouth to her lips. At first she was surprised as her eyes shot open at contact but she soon eased into his affection. His hands slowly began glide over her body, sending pure bliss and electricity through every single nerve in her body. She leaned off of him, tears still on her face and a sad expression. He knew that he was slightly lying to her with his affection but the last thing he wanted was for her to live with the regret of never being able to express her love for him.

"I'm yours Tifa, for the night I'll be here just for you," he said.

Tifa gasped softly and Cloud's face turned from a sad one to a happy one. She knew what she was going to do next.

**Meanwhile**

"Why do I keep having these dreams?" muttered a soft voice.

She brushed her bangs behind her ears and sighed deeply. For about a week, she had been having the same dream over and over again and she really began to wonder what she had to do.

"_Éclair, it's time for you to let someone into your life, it's time for you be open,"_

The words kept ringing through her head.

"_You will meet a boy, so similar yet different from you, he will be from a universe you never even knew existed,"_

She sighed again and rubbed her eyes.

"_You see him on the day you decide to seek him out, whatever happens from then forth is in your hands,"_

She shook her head as if she was trying to jar everything back into place.

"Sister?" asked a voice.

She looked up before returning her eyes to her bed.

"Sis? What's up?" asked another voice.

Two figures walked in and sat on her bed, one on each side.

"It's nothing," she said.  
"Don't tell me that Light, I know when something's eatin ya," said the male voice.  
"Snow's right, don't shut him out," said the female voice.

Lightning looked at Snow for a few seconds.

"Ok Serah, I think you're the only one who can get her to talk," he said shrugging.

Lightning took a breath.

"I've been having these dreams lately, I don't understand what they mean," she began.  
"What're they about?" asked Serah.  
"These voices…they keep telling me that I'm going to meet someone from a different universe," she said.  
"Hmm…sounds fishy, but hey, anything's possible after all we went through," said Snow shrugging.

Lightning nodded; after all of what they went through as l'Cie for Pulse, it was hard to believe that things were impossible. A crystallized lake, being able to use magic, all of these things to the average human would probably fry their brains like onion rings if they tried to comprehend what they've seen.

"I'm going to look for him, the guy the dreams tells me about," she said.  
"Oh? It's a boy?" asked Serah.

Lightning nodded and Snow muffled a chuckle.

"Sounds like love's grabbin ya and holdin ya tight sis!" he said.

Lightning gave him a death glare but he ignored it.

"Do you want us to come with you?" asked Serah.  
"Yeah, it's my job to protect my sister," said Snow punching his palm.  
"No, it's something I have to do on my own," she said as she rose to her feet.

She walked to her bathroom and changed into her usual attire and holstered her gunsword in its sheath. She turned to Serah.

"I won't be long, if I'm not back tonight, I'll come look for you at the beach in the morning," she said.

Serah nodded and hugged her sister. Snow smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"Good luck Light, hope you find him," he said.

Lightning nodded and jumped out of her window and walked off into the woods.

**Meanwhile**

Cloud already packed everything he needed. He strapped his bag to Fenrir and made sure he had all of his swords sheathed in its compartments. He turned to his family and to Vincent, who he called over to stay with them for a while.

"Maybe I'll see you guys again someday," he said.  
"Cloud, are you sure you want to do this, if you don't come back and you're wrong about your dreams, you would've left us all for nothing," said Vincent.  
"I know I'm right Vincent, please…take good care of them, I will never forgive you if something bad happens to them," he warned.

Vincent smiled.

"I promise, I will treat them as if they were my own flesh and blood," he said.

Cloud hugged the kids, especially Denzel of whom he had grown closest to. He then embraced Tifa, who returned it with a tight grip. He turned to mount his motorcycle but she didn't let go of his hand. He turned back to her to ask her to let go but before he could react, warm lips enveloped his own. His eyes shot open and just like that, the contact was gone. She smiled at him with tears going down her cheeks.

"That's what I've always wanted to do to you Cloud, I'm glad I got to do it before…a day like this would come," she said.

Her voice began to break and Vincent was immediately at her side, hugging her and hushing her as best as he could. Marlene was already at her side; she understood the feelings she had for him but destiny always had a way of deciding their fates and Cloud didn't really a choice in the matter but to follow true to it.

He mounted Fenrir and took one last look at them.

"I'm glad I met all of you, I will never under any circumstance, forget any of you," he said once more.

He kicked the motorcycle to life.

"Goodbye!" they all said.

He nodded and rode off into the distance. After about ten minutes of riding, Cloud noticed that Fenrir began to slow down, almost as if on its own. He stopped and before he could examine it, a tornado suddenly enveloped him, right on the spot. He clung to the bike before the tornado flashed a bright white and just like that, it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of the blonde hero in the universe that was his own.


	2. Destiny's Answer

Intertwined- Destiny's Answer

_**Synopsis:**_ Cloud has vanished from his universe and Lightning continues her search for the one described in her dream. Her search takes her to an area called The Twilight Woods and fate takes its step in and destiny answers her plights.

_**Song Playing:**_ First Love (Instrumental Version) by Utada Hikaru

She had walked nearly a mile away from her home and her stamina didn't even remotely begin to deteriorate. She knew this place because of the strong creatures that dwell within them. She had to fight off a few of them but they weren't any trouble for her, she was an expertly trained soldier after all. She jumped into a tree and scaled it with ease to get a better look around.

"Hmm…doesn't look like there's any signs of human life here…then why does this feeling in my gut tell me to search here…" she muttered to herself.

She began to leap from tree to tree, searching everywhere her eyes could see and her keen senses could sense. She suddenly stopped and collapsed on her knees. All of a sudden, her Eidolon, Odin appeared. He didn't look very happy at all.

"Odin? What're you doing here?" she asked.  
"Your search for this boy in your dreams, are you certain that you will find him?" he asked.  
"I…I'm not sure…my heart tells me to seek him out but I don't know where exactly to find him," she said.  
"Defend yourself…" he said.

He slashed at her but she expertly leaped out of the way and landed.

"Odin? What's gotten into you?" she demanded.  
"Your faith is weak…you must seek him out, it is your destiny," he said.

He slashed again, she blocked it and flipped out of the way.

"Why are you attacking me?! How's that going to solve anything?!" she demanded.  
"Your faith is faltering, your heart doesn't have the resolve it did before, the dreams are very real Éclair, you must answer to them!" he said again.

He slashed again but Lightning blocked it and threw him back.

"If I knew where to look I wouldn't have faltering faith!" she yelled.  
"Then follow your dreams and your heart! Stop following your instincts!" he bellowed.

He came at her one more time but she unleashed a Scene Drive on him, quelling his fury.

"Now you have the resolve, shall we continue?" he asked.

She nodded and he vanished back into his crystal which reentered her body. She closed her eyes and focused. Suddenly, a large flash of white light appeared. She quickly sprinted off in that direction.

**Meanwhile**

"_Cloud…it's okay, you don't have to be afraid, the trip you had to take is done now…you will meet the person you are destined to very soon…but for now…rest,"_

He couldn't move his body; it was almost as if the warp drained him of every last bit of energy he had in his body. He was so exhausted, he could barely even muster the strength to breath. He knew that if he didn't get help soon, he would surely die. He tried to call out for help but his body rejected the idea; his lungs not allowing enough air for him to speak but just enough to keep him alive. His body fell limp to the ground off of the Fenrir.

"_Damn it…it's almost as if I'm paralyzed both internally and externally…"_

His mind then began to go haywire. The warp must've made his senses go crazy as he began to experience a deep migraine. His body was so weak that he couldn't react to the pain and instead, lay lifelessly as it pulsated through him like electricity through a wire. Soon afterwards, it stopped and if he was able to, he would've sighed in relief. His heart jolted.

"_What the…am I…am I sensing…"_

He soon drifted off into a very deep slumber, taking extremely light breaths as he tried to regain control of his body. The last thing he heard was a loud rustle from the trees above him.

Lightning reached the source of the light and examined the blonde man on the ground, almost lifeless. Her compassionate side kicked in and she leaped down from the tree she was in and put two fingers to his neck.

"Ok…he's breathing…is this the one?" she muttered to herself.

Her heart gave a kick in response to her question and she was convinced he was the one she was looking for. She examined his motorcycle.

"_Such an old design…ours can at least fly but still…he has really good tastes,"_

She figured out how to use the Fenrir properly and lifted Cloud onto her lap. She blushed.

"_Wow…he's a cute one…"_

She rode off towards her house. She looked at him sleep. His attire was definitely unlike anything she had ever seen before. A completely black outfit, a black tanktop covered by a half jacket with a long sleeve with a wolf insignia on it, black pants and black combat boots. He was definitely well built and she could sense the power he had within him. He was definitely a force to be reckoned with, even with her standards and powers. His blonde spikes flowed with the wind and his face seemed at peace but also in pain. She knew she had to hurry to her house to get him to safety, as his breathing began to slow down…


	3. Awakening

Intertwined- Awakening

_**Synopsis:**_ Lightning finds Cloud and takes him to her home. It's still night and Snow and Serah are helping her with getting Cloud back to a stable condition due to the after effects of the universal warp he went through.

_**Song Playing:**_ How You Remind Me by Nickelback.

"Snow, get some blankets and a pillow for him," said Serah.  
"On it," he said as he ran off.

Lightning placed Cloud in the couch and Serah watched him. Lightning scrambled to find an icepack as he began to burn up with fever. Snow returned within seconds and they set the couch up for him. Lightning put it on his head and drew a blanket over him.

"Where did you find him?" asked Serah.  
"In Twilight Woods," responded Lightning.  
"He looks pretty bad, I wonder what happened to him," asked Serah.  
"Universal warping kinda does that, I mean he's probably coming into a whole ecosystem of diseases and other stuff that he's never been in contact with before, not to mention just warping itself leaves the body almost completely drained, so it's actually pretty good that he's breathing right now," said Snow.

Lightning didn't take her eyes off of Cloud.

"I hope he'll be okay," said Serah.  
"He looks like a strong guy, he'll be fine," said Snow.

Almost as if on cue, Cloud's breathing began to normalize. Lightning rose to her feet.

"I'm going to bed, I'll see you all in the morning," she said

She left the room. Serah smiled at the warrior in the couch.

"I think he's a nice guy, I guess we'll see very soon for sure," she said.  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Light thinks he's cute, she never looks at anyone like that," teased Snow.

Serah gave him a playful hit on the shoulder and went off to bed with him. Cloud continued to sleep peacefully.

**Later that morning**

Cloud shot up from the couch, panting. He was glad that he could move his body now and rose to his feet. He slowly examined the room he was in.

"_Where am I?"_

He turned around as he sensed a presence in the room. It was Snow.

"Oh, you're awake now huh?" he asked.  
"Who are you?" asked Cloud.  
"Name's Snow," he replied.

Serah followed behind him and smiled at the now awake Cloud.

"Oh, you've awakened, I'm Serah, I'm Snow's wife," she said.

Cloud nodded and there was an awkward silence in the room. Soon, Lightning walked into the room as well and looked at Cloud. From her gaze, a jolt hit his heart and a flashback of his dream hit him. He looked away and tried to calm himself down without alerting them.

"I found you in the woods, you were in pretty bad shape," she said.  
"How long was I out?" he asked.  
"Well, for about 12 hours, you were pretty sick too but I guess you're fine now," said Serah.  
"What's your name?" asked Lightning.  
"My name is Cloud, Cloud Strife," he said.

He looked at Lightning.

"What's yours?" he asked.  
"Lightning Farron," she replied.  
"Or Éclair, she just goes by Lightning," interrupted Snow.

Lightning cut him a death glare but he again ignored her. Cloud looked at her.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said.  
"Just call me Light," she said.

Cloud nodded.

"Where exactly am I?" he asked.  
"In Pulse, you're not from around here are you?" she asked.  
"I'm from a place called Midgar," he replied.

Lightning nodded. She sensed Snow leaving their presence. Cloud turned to her.

"Thank you for helping me," he said.  
"No problem," she replied.

He looked towards the sun.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked.  
"I'm not sure, I'm in a completely different universe," he replied.

Lightning smiled slightly.

"You could stay with us, it's perfectly fine," she said.  
"Wouldn't I be imposing myself by doing that?" he asked.  
"Not at all, I brought you here anyways and the next town is about 4 days worth of riding away from here," she explained.

Cloud nodded.

"If it's fine with you, then I'll stay," he said.  
"You better help out around the house then Cloud," said Snow.

Lightning looked back to see Snow leaning against the doorway with his hands on the back of his head.

"I intend to, thank you for allowing me to stay in your home," he replied not turning around.

Snow chuckled.

"No prob, happy to help," he replied as he left.

Cloud turned to see Lightning walking inside.

"Follow me, I'll show you to your room," she said.

He silently obeyed and followed her through the house to the guest room. He found his bag already in the chair beside the door.

"Here you are, guess I'll leave you to get used to it," she said as she began to walk out.  
"Hey," he said, stopping her in her tracks.  
"Yeah?"

He smiled lightly at her.

"Thank you again for everything you've done for me," he said.

That small smile warmed her body and she felt blood rush to her face. There was just something about him that made her feel at ease and also comforted. Unlike a lot of other men that she knew excluding Snow, most of them wouldn't be as polite as Cloud, especially if they were strangers. She smiled back at him and left him alone.


	4. Adaptation

Intertwined- Adaptation

_**Synopsis**_**:** Cloud begins his first day of work in the Farron household in exchange for being allowed to live with them.

_**Song Playing:**_ New Perspective by Panic At The Disco!

"Ok Cloud, here's your first job," said Serah.

He nodded at the girl and grabbed his sword from his motorcycle before walking towards the trees.

"These tree here grow really fast, I just want you to clear some of them, we can use the wood you get as firewood," she explained.

He nodded.

"Normally, Snow would be doing this but he's out doing errands today," she said.  
"I'll cut them down and bring about half of it for firewood," he said.  
"Ok, that sounds good, call me when you're done," she said as she walked inside.

Cloud took a breath and began to slice the trees. At first, it was very easy to slice through the trees but he then remembered to bring some of it for firewood and had to begin cutting in proportioned sections to allow the logs to be used as firewood. He was too busy to notice Lightning watching him from a distance. She sat at the base of a tree and smiled as she saw Cloud hard at work. He stopped after about a half hour of slicing before he separated what he would use as firewood and what would be thrown away. He then called out for Serah but Lightning came to him instead.

"Wow, you did a good job, can you just load all of the wood into the shed over there?" she asked.  
"Alright," he replied as he did so.

He took off his jacket, leaving only the black wife beater he normally wore underneath it on as he hauled load by load of logs. Lightning returned to her seat and continued to watch him work, admiring the speed and skill at which he toiled. He was done within a half hour. She noticed after he was done that he was barely even breathless; Snow was always tired after doing just that single chore. His muscles seemed to be more defined thanks to his tensing and his hair was slightly dampened from the sweat. All in all, he looked hot to her. She shook her head and ignored her hormones as he approached her.

"Alright, how about some lunch?" she asked.

Cloud nodded in response and she led him inside. He sat at the table, waiting patiently for Lightning to finish her cooking. She returned and handed him a plate, which he ate silently. She removed his plate and washed it before Serah entered the room.

"Oh you're finished already Cloud?" she asked.

He nodded and she giggled.

"Snow normally takes three hours to get all of that done, good thing we have you around," she said.

He chuckled softly. Serah then beckoned Cloud to follow her, to which he obeyed. For the rest of the day, he did all of the yard work, chores and errands the Farrons threw at him without question. He managed to get everything done with three times less of the time that Snow would normally take. The girls were astonished that Cloud didn't even seem to be tired after the long day's work.

"I'm going to take a shower," he said to them both.

They nodded at him and he disappeared up the stairs. Serah decided to cook dinner while Lightning decided to go into the study to read. Ten minutes later and to her surprise, Cloud entered the study, looking for a book to read. He was already showered and wearing his usual wife beater but with baggy grey pants. His gloves were also off and his hair was a little wet. He took a book based on the wildlife and geography of Pulse and sat in the seat next to the door, not even appearing to notice Lightning's presence. She never saw him so focused on anything else during the course of the day as his mako eyes glided from page to page with him taking only slightly more than silent breaths.

"I take it you like reading a lot?" she asked.

He looked up and seemed slightly surprised to see her but his gaze shifted to her.

"I thought it would be good to learn more about the general area because I want to start a business," he replied.  
"A business?" she asked.  
"Back in Midgar, I used to run a delivery service called "The Strife Delivery Service", I was basically taking packages and other things around the area to people for pay," he explained.

Lightning nodded.

"I wouldn't have a problem with you having that here; it would help with the income we're already getting," she said.  
"It will also give me something else to do when there isn't anything to do around the house," he said.

Lightning nodded.

"Are you sure you can handle that on your own?" she asked.  
"I did all my deliveries just fine back in Midgar," he replied.  
"No, I meant all the paperwork in addition to the deliveries, I'm pretty sure you'll get a lot of requests because people don't want to cross the plains around here; the wildlife's too dangerous," she explained.

Cloud nodded and put a hand to his chin.

"That would prove to be a lot of paperwork, it would just mean that I'll have sleepless nights here and there," he replied.  
"Or you could find a partner to help you out," she suggested.  
"And who would be willing to do that?" he asked.

She was silent for a few moments with her hand at her chin. She was obviously slightly deep in thought.

"I could help you," she said.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you already have a job?" he asked.  
"I quit my job a long time ago, I've been sitting around looking for things to do actually," she replied.  
"You sure you want to help me? I mean now that you told me about it, it would prove to be a lot of paperwork and phone calls," he warned.  
"I can handle it, if I can fight squads of soldiers and giant dinosaurs, I'm pretty sure paperwork won't be much of a problem," she said with a scoff.

He smiled at her before he held out a hand to her. She looked at him for a moment before she got up and walked up to him.

"I have a better name for the business then," he said.

She took his hand.

"We'll call it, "The Storm Delivery Service","


	5. The Start Of Something New

Intertwined- The Start Of Something New

_**Synopsis**_: Cloud has lived with the Farron family for two months and has settled in quite nicely. Cloud has become close friends with everyone but is still distant from them somewhat. With a little help from Snow, Cloud starts something new with Lightning.

_**Song Playing**_: Put whatever you want in here guys, it's a free for all chapter!

"Hey Cloud, you're back from work already?" asked Lightning.  
"Yeah, I rushed them all today, I wanted to get home early," he explained.

He parked his motorcycle and walked up to Lightning. They were partners now. Two weeks ago, they decided to start back up the Strife Delivery Service in order for Cloud to be able to pay his rent. Lightning took it upon herself to take care of the paperwork and ever since Snow started to charge Cloud rent for living with them, she also wanted to make sure that he was able to work and also stay sane. The paperwork wasn't that bad but it was definitely something Cloud couldn't handle on his own without assistance, especially if deliveries took him as far as Gran Pulse. Lightning smiled at him.

"Hungry?" she asked.

Cloud nodded slowly after placing a hand on his stomach. Lightning smiled at him and led him inside. Cloud quietly ate the food she left on the table for him.

"Were all of the trips ok?" she asked.  
"Everyone wants to recommend us to other people for their delivery needs so I guess it was more than okay," he replied.

Lightning smiled again.

"You have work tomorrow don't you?" she asked.  
"No, I took care of all of the deliveries for the rest of the week, that's why I left at 3 this morning," he explained.  
"Why did you do that?" she asked.

Cloud looked away and cleared his throat. She could've sword she saw anxiety in his facial expression. He looked at her but couldn't make eye contact.

"_Come on Strife…say it!"_

Lightning moved closer to him and sat right beside him.

"What is it Cloud?" she asked.  
"I was just wondering…if you're…" he began.

He struggled to piece the words together and Lightning still looked at him, curious as to what he would say.

"I was wondering if you were busy for the rest of the day or the rest of the week…cause I wanted to maybe…" he continued.

He took a breath.

"Take you on a…date," he finished as he turned his face away.

Lightning felt her heart jump and her face immediately felt hot. A hand unconsciously hovered right in front of her nose and a soft giggle escaped her lips.

"I'd love to Cloud, we can go anytime," she said smiling.

His eyes widened and she could see the shock in his eyes.

"Oh…alright, how about at 7 tonight? Is that alright for you?" he asked.

Lightning nodded and he smiled at her. Lightning then walked out of the room to get ready, as she only had an hour to make herself presentable to Cloud. He made sure to get ready at least fifteen minutes in advance. He dressed in his usual attire but replaced his one sleeved jacket with a two sleeved version he got made in Pulse. He ensured he had the gil necessary to pay for the date three times over; he was always cautious with money. He then waited downstairs for Lightning. Snow walked into the house and looked at Cloud before smiling.

"You finally asked her out huh?" asked Snow.

Cloud looked away but nodded slowly with his eyes closed. Snow chuckled.

"You have my respect; now make sure she enjoys herself ok? She's not that hard to amuse," he began.  
"I'll do my best," replied Cloud.  
"Cloud…do me a favor and take good care of my sister ok? I don't think there's been a time when she's even remotely come close to going on a date with someone," said Snow.

Cloud looked at Snow before rising to his feet.

"You know I would never do anything to hurt her Snow," he replied.  
"I know you wouldn't, but everything that's happened in the past has taught me that stuff just happens," said Snow.

Cloud nodded. Snow then raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you love her?" he asked.

Cloud's eyes widened and he looked away and folded his arms.

"I'm…not sure," he replied.

Snow chuckled and gave him a playful punch to the shoulder.

"Don't worry bro, I can understand if you do, Light's pretty amazing, if I wasn't married happily to Serah I'd totally try and date her," he replied.

Cloud kept silent before he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He looked and his eyes were practically bonded to the marvel that was Lightning. Her hair was in its usual style but she clearly washed it and dried it in the hour she was gone due to the sheen it gave off in the light. She didn't change her clothes save the shirt she normally wore under her jacket was black instead of pink. Her face was immaculate.

"_Holy crap…"_

Snow snickered and elbowed Cloud in the ribs softly.

"Good luck bro," he whispered as he zipped off into the house.

Lightning approached Cloud.

"What did Snow say?" she asked.  
"Nothing important, ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded and he got on his motorcycle. She hesitated at first, unsure if he would be okay with her leaning on him like that but his gentle smile gave her all the approval she needed. She climbed on and encircled her arms around his stomach as he drove off towards Palompulum.


	6. The Sora Festival

Intertwined- The Sora Festival

_**Synopsis**_: Cloud drives to the town but he forgets that the Sora Festival, an event held once a year to honor the fal'Cie and also nature that brings rain to keep the harvests pure and thriving. The festival also holds a lot of sentimental memories for Lightning.

_**Song Playing**_: Belle Of The Boulevard by Dashboard Confessional

"Welcome, my my, another young couple? Did you come to see the lightshow for the Sora Festival?" asked a booth owner.

They had just gotten off the motorcycle and walked into town until a booth owner approached Cloud. He was one of Cloud's regular customers.

"The Sora Festival?" asked Cloud.

Lightning smiled and blushed at the same time at the mere mention of the name.

"Oh you don't know what it's about?" asked the booth owner.

Cloud shook his head before Lightning grabbed his arm and pulled him away towards the lightshow that was about to begin. They scaled a small building and sat down at its edge.

"What is this festival about?" he asked.  
"It's a festival held every year to honor the fal'Cie and also Mother Nature for the gift of the rain," she began.  
"You never did tell me what a fal'Cie was," he replied.

Lightning smiled at his curiosity.

"A fal'Cie is said to be a deity but in reality, the majority of them are just very powerful machines that have magical abilities," she explained.  
"What sorts of magical abilities?" he asked again.  
"They're powerful with offensive magic and they have the power to transform humans into l'Cie, which are their tools," she continued.

Cloud nodded in comprehension.

"How can you tell when someone is a l'Cie and what is their function, if fal'Cie are deities, then what do they need human tools for?" he asked.  
"l'Cie have special tattoos on their bodies and their function is something they have to figure out themselves based on a dream the fal'Cie feeds them during the transformation process, that's called a Focus," she continued.  
"If a l'Cie fails their Focus, they become a Cie'th, which is basically a hollow shell of what they once were but they complete their Focus, they turn to crystal, granting them eternal life, they can come out of the crystal shells of the fal'Cie decide to let them," she continued.  
"Looks like you studied a lot on them," he said.  
"Well…everyone is a l'Cie, Sazh, Snow, Fang, all of the others you met…even I'm one," she said.

Cloud held her hand.

"I can already tell that's a burden, I've been told by others how much l'Cie are hated by humans," he said.

Lightning's hand gripped his slightly tighter and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hand slowly with his thumb.

"We were freed of our Focus, though we are supposed to be human, the fal'Cie let us keep our powers," she replied.

Cloud nodded.

"I guess even it wanted to see you happy," he whispered.

She looked up at him and saw a peaceful look on his face. The fireworks began to start and they sat silently, watching them light up in all shapes and colors. Lightning found herself dissatisfied with sitting only next to Cloud. He looked at her and saw her face before he smiled.

"What's the matter, getting bored?" he asked.

She shook her head and scooted him front of him and sat in his lap, shocking him. He eventually warmed up to the idea and hugged her close to him. She smiled at him and one of her hands ran across his arm, stopping at his hand and grasping it.

"Better?" he asked innocently.

She breathed out a laugh and leaned her head back against his strong chest. He smiled slightly but behind his smile, laid a heart that pulverized every vein and artery in his body with blood and his brain numbed his body with extremely rapid impulses. He knew what was coming next, but he couldn't find a possible way to prepare for it. The fireworks soon began to die down.

"They're beautiful," she said.  
"Not as beautiful as you," said Cloud.

She felt her cheeks get hot and she smiled as she leaned back more so her eyes could meet his.

"Thank you…you're not so bad yourself," she whispered.

His face softened and his mako blue eyes explored hers. Her breathing became slow and the blush persisted. He moved closer, his face only mere centimeters away from hers.

"Cloud…" she whispered softly.

His lips enveloped hers. She drew in a soft breath and she melted back into his arms. His hand slowly ran along her bare arm and she moaned softly into his throat. After a few moments, he stopped kissing her but didn't move far.

"I...really like you Light..." he whispered.

She again blushed but her thumb ran over his hand, showing that she wasn't in the least weakened by his words.

"I...really like you too Cloud…" she whispered.

He smiled at her.

"Does this mean we're dating?" he asked.

She giggled before she kissed him again, lightly but sweetly.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked nuzzling her nose into his neck.

For the first time, Cloud chuckled with visible amusement on his face and he embraced his girlfriend.


	7. Thriving

Intertwined- Thriving

_**Synopsis**_: Two weeks later, Cloud and Lightning have revealed that they are dating to the rest of the gang. After celebrating three months of success for The Storm Delivery Service, the gang decides to go to Palumpolum to relax for a while. Hope catches wind of what's going on with Cloud and Lightning and decides to play Cupid in his own way in hopes of making Lightning happier.

"We're here," said Lightning.

Cloud shot up from his nap. Snow opened the car door and turned back.

"Next stop, Hope's place!" he announced.

Cloud shook his head free of drowsiness and wiped his face with his hand. Lightning looked at him before she began to sling bags over her arm. Serah was already out of the car, holding three bags waiting for the others. They quickly gathered their belongings and set off for Hope's home where they were to meet the rest of the group. They arrived to see Hope waiting for them outside with Vanille beside him.

"Hey everyone!" said Vanille.

Serah ran and hugged Vanille while Hope approached Lightning with a smile. She affectionately rubbed his head and smiled at him. Snow smiled at Hope as well as he playfully punched him in the shoulder. Cloud stayed silent and waited for them to reacquaint themselves. Lightning noticed him being shy before she led him inside the house. Bartholomew was waiting for them inside.

"Mr. Estheim," said Lightning with a smile.  
"Hello there, long time no see Lightning," he replied as he shook her hands eagerly.

She turned back to see Hope smiling at her.

"Long time no see Light," he said.  
"Hope," she said.

She affectionately nuzzled his silver hair and his smile widened before she hugged him. He timidly returned the hug. Cloud watched silently as he leaned against the doorframe. Lightning turned to Bartholomew.

"Oh, this is our friend Cloud, he's living with us," said Lightning as she gestured towards Cloud.

Bartholomew held out a hand to him which he slowly shook.

"A friend of Lightning's is a friend of ours, welcome," he said.  
"Thank you, please to meet you," replied Cloud.

Bartholomew let them in and Cloud sat down on the large couch, staring out into the setting sun over the ocean. Lightning let him be alone and followed Hope into his room. Hope had been telling for a while about things he wanted to show her. The first thing she noticed was that he got his own gunblade. It was larger than her own and after firing a few blanks, it proved to have a faster rate of fire. She was impressed.

"So you joined the Guardian Corps?" she asked.  
"Yeah, it turns out they really help with college fees, not to mention it gives me a chance to get stronger," he replied.

He indeed had grown stronger; it had been three long years since she last saw him. He was just as tall as she was and his build became firm but not over muscular. From the shirt he worse, she could tell he was sporting at the very least a six pack but his arms weren't much bigger although they were toned nicely. He put the gunblade back on its stand and turned to her.

"So who's your new friend?" he asked.  
"His name is Cloud," she replied.  
"Where'd you meet him?" he asked again.  
"It's a long story…" she mumbled  
"I've got time; you know you can tell me anything," he said in an almost concerned voice.

She then began to tell him about everything that happened from the time she found Cloud up until the very moment they entered the house. Hope seemed to be smiling at her and his eyes narrowed slyly.

"Sounds like you got a crush on him," he teased.

Lightning snapped out of her blank stare and blushed slightly before turning her face away.

"I'm not talking about it," she replied.  
"Oh? I think I hit a soft spot," he continued.  
"Hope…I'm warning you…" she snarled.  
"Yeah but you gotta admit, it's so true," he teased again.

She lunged at him but he quickly reversed and pinned her to his bed with his hands. He definitely got faster and stronger. He looked at her still laughing and she couldn't help but smile at him; it was Hope's own way of saying that he was happy for her. He let her up.

"Have you told him yet?" he asked.  
"No…" she mumbled.  
"Why don't you tell him?" he asked again.  
"Because I don't know how…you already know I'm not good with emotions…we are dating but I don't know if it's the right time to tell him my true feelings…" she said blushing.  
"You don't have to be good to tell someone how you feel about them…for example," he said.

He walked up to her and hugged her deeply.

"You're the most important woman in my life," he said.

Lightning lit up like a red Christmas light. He let her go and smiled at her.

"See? Not hard and before you think it's something else, no I don't like you in that way, you're practically a big sister to me," he said smiling.

Lightning let out a deep sigh of relief.

"What do I do…I don't want to tell him and he rejects me," she said.  
"I bet he loves you back, I saw him looking at you earlier and I swear I haven't seen anyone look at you like that before without dying," he chuckled.  
"Hope…" she said in embarrassment.  
"The worst thing he can do is talk to you about it Light, he doesn't look like a guy who would outright reject you, especially since he's dating you," reasoned Hope.

He chuckled again and got up.

"I'll find out for you, leave it to me," he said.  
"No…don't you dare," she warned.  
"Nope, I dare," he said sticking his tongue out as he left the room and immediately sealed it shut with his voice lock.

She sat down, completely helpless as Hope ran off to help his friend.


End file.
